Video: Pope Washes, Kisses Feet of 12 Young Ones, Including Two Girls

You’ve been hearing about it today — the fact that Pope Francis would conduct Holy Thursday Mass at the juvenile penitentiary of Casal del Marmo, a facility for incarcerated youth. Here is video footage of the moment. I for simply can’t watch this without becoming emotional.

While you watch this, consider these words spoken on Vatican Radio by Benedictine Abbott, Timothy Wright, spiritual director at the Pontifical Beda College in Rome:

Washing feet is a very menial task. A sign of the host welcoming the guest. A sign of recognition saying “you are important to me”. You are important to me because of who you are, not because of what you have done for me. You are important to me not because you are a sinner or a saint, but because in you there is the unique presence of God. And that is why I am showing to you that this is my service of you, my 12 apostles – and one of you is going to betray me – no matter, I will wash your feet because you are going to be the leaders, and it is you who then have to wash other people’s feet. Service is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. My service is to die and to rise and give new life. Your service is to go forward and to wash people’s feet to show this is the love that really counts…

I believe twelve lives were changed forever today, and countless others have been touched by the sincerity of such a simple act.